This invention relates to a vending machine for dispensing both refrigerated foods, for example drink containers, and unrefrigerated foods such as packaged snacks.
It is generally known that vending machines can provide a refrigerated section to keep products cold. For example, food vending machines are known for dispensing sandwiches or cold drinks by inserting coins or bills. It is also generally known to provide vending machines which dispense products which are not refrigerated. For example, candy or snack food packages are generally kept in a non-refrigerated vending machine. Very often it is desired to have both unrefrigerated and refrigerated foods dispensed and at the same physical location, such as in an employee kitchen. However it is impractical due to space limitations to use both a refrigerated vending machine and an unrefrigerated vending machine. Some presently available vending machines have refrigerated and unrefrigerated sections or areas, but require all the dispensed products to pass through both the refrigerated and unrefrigerated sections prior to dispensing. In these vending machines it is not possible to independently or separately dispense the product from the refrigerated and unrefrigerated sections.
Very often the use of the non-refrigerated vending machine results in the candy or the like being destroyed because of melting, thus resulting in customer dissatisfaction or loss of the product. Because many unrefrigerated foods are most palatable at a temperature most near room temperature, it is generally not desirable to refrigerate this product down to a temperature for which unrefrigerated foods are enjoyed. Therefore it is undesirable, for example, to place candy or the like in a refrigerated machine since these machines typically cool to around 35.degree.-45.degree. F.